Former gangster Arun Gawli was granted bail in an extortion case by a the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) court here on Friday. Gawli has been in jail since April 2008 after he was arrested on charges of extortion and murder.
His lawyer Sanjay Mahajan told The Hindu that the court granted bail on the ground of parity since the other accused were already out on bail. The eight accused, including Gawli, were charged with extorting money from a city builder.
Though Gawli has been granted bail on a surety on Rs.50,000 he will not be released from jail as there is a murder case against him pending in the Supreme Court, Mr. Mahajan said.
The MCOCA was slapped against Gawli in connection with the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandiker in March 2007.